A skateboard is a type of sports equipment or toy used primarily for the activity of skateboarding. In some aspects, a skateboard may be moved by a rider by pushing with one foot while the other remains on the board, or by pumping one's legs in structures such as a bowl or half pipe. Recently, electric skateboards become more and more attractive. Electric skateboards may no longer require propelling of the skateboard by means of the feet; rather an electric motor propels the board, fed by an electric battery. In an electric skateboard, possibly one, two, three or four of the four wheels could be the driving wheels which are controlled by the control module and powered by battery. A Brushless DC motor (BLDC) is typically built into the driving wheels.
FIG. 1A illustrates a side view of a conventional electric skateboard 100. The electric skateboard 100 comprises a foot pad or foot board 10, a battery and control module 11, a wheel suspension truck 12, a wheel suspension truck 14, a wheel 13, a wheel 15, a wheel 17 and a wheel 19.
FIG. 1B illustrates a bottom view of the electric skateboard 100 shown in FIG. 1A. In some aspects, a remote control 18 may be associated with the electric skateboard.
FIG. 2A illustrates a front view of the electric skateboard 100 shown in FIG. 1A.
FIG. 2B illustrates a rear view of the electric skateboard 100 shown in FIG. 1A.
FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate a front view of the electric skateboard 100 shown in FIG. 1A when the electric skateboard 100 is steered to turn to left or right.
As shown in FIGS. 3A-3C, the electric skateboard 100 may be steered by a rider by shifting his or her weight to the right or left to complete a right turn or a left turn, or keep straight. As shown in FIG. 3A, the electric skateboard 100 may be steered by a rider by shifting his or her weight to the left to complete a left turn. As shown in FIG. 3B, the electric skateboard 100 may be kept straight by a rider by not shifting his or her weight substantially. As shown in FIG. 3C, the electric skateboard 100 may be steered by a rider by shifting his or her weight to the right to complete a right turn.
Conventionally, a remote control unit, such as a remote control 18 is needed as a control input device to an electric skateboard to set the moving direction to forward or backward, and control the electric skateboard to accelerate or brake.
FIG. 4 illustrates one example of a control diagram of the electric skateboard 100 shown in FIG. 1A. As shown in FIG. 4, a driving control module may receive control commands and signals from a remote control unit wirelessly. The driving control module may post-process the received commands and signals and send one or more motor signals to driving wheels to operate the electric skateboard.
However, it may be very inconvenient for the rider to hold the remote control device all the time when riding the electric skateboard.